Add as a preferred source on Google

William & Mary Begins 10-Year, $700M Campus Improvement Plan

  • By Matt Jones
  • 08/03/23

The College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Va., recently announced that construction has begun on a ten-year project that will lead to the replacement or renovation of 80% of on-campus residences, according to college news. The project will cost an estimated $700 million and will take place across three phases.

Phase one entails building four new residence halls for a total capacity of 1,204 new beds, renovating two existing dorms, and building a 50,000-square-foot dining facility in west campus. The first step of construction—the demolition of the existing Yates Hall to make room for construction—began in July and is scheduled for completion in fall 2025. Phase one’s total cost is an estimated $320 million.

“This project reflects our steadfast commitment to meeting the needs of students of today and of generations to come,” said Vice President for Student Affairs Ginger Ambler. “We have kept students at the center of this ambitious project, designing beautiful, innovative spaces that will allow them to thrive in community with one another.”

Phase two involves redeveloping the college’s Campus Center to incorporate student housing, a dining facility, and admissions office, and a bookstore; redeveloping the Randolph Complex to build a new residence hall; redeveloping the site of Richmond Hall; and upgrading One Tribe Place. Phase 2 will cost an estimated $350 million.

Finally, phase three will involve developing student housing in West Campus at a site still to be determined; renovating four existing residence halls; and renovating the Lettle Pate Whitehead Evans Graduate Complex.

The new residence halls will include sustainability initiatives like geothermal heating and cooling, as well as transitioning the fossil-fuel-using systems in two existing dorms with geothermal energy.

The university partnered with VMDO Architects for the buildings’ designs and with Balfour Beatty and Kjellstrom+Lee for construction.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Preparing for the Next Era of Healthcare Education, Innovation

    Across the country, public universities and community colleges are accelerating investments in healthcare education facilities as part of a broader strategy to address workforce shortages, modernize outdated infrastructure, and expand clinical training capacity. These projects, which are often located at the center of campus health and science districts, are no longer limited to traditional classrooms.

  • concentric silhouettes of a human head

    How Physical Space Shapes the Mind: Designing for Better Learning Outcomes

    Research in environmental psychology and neuroscience increasingly suggests that the way a room is designed can influence memory, focus, or even a student's sense of belonging.

  • Minnesota Middle School Finishes $23.5M Addition and Modernization

    Highland Park Middle School in St. Paul, Minn., recently announced the completion of a $23.5-million addition and remodel project, according to a news release. Saint Paul Public Schools partnered with ATS&R Planners, Architects & Engineers for its design and Kraus-Anderson for its construction.

  • FAU Starts Construction on Holocaust and Jewish Studies Building

    Florida Atlantic University recently began construction on a new academic building for its campus in Boca Raton, Fla., according to university news. The Kurt and Marilyn Wallach Holocaust and Jewish Studies Building will stand two stories, measure in at 22,000 square feet, and play home to the university’s Holocaust education and Jewish studies programs.

Digital Edition